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Magazine Article

"World's Fair of Imaging" to Spotlight Mobile Digital
Imaging Along With Traditional Photography

Oliver Kuhrt of Koelnmesse GmbH discusses photokina 2004 at a
recent New York City press conference.

In today's world, imaging has reached a level of importance
unimagined even just a few short years ago. Images have a greater
impact than ever on peoples' lives—they are holiday
snapshots, they are sent from one mobile phone to another, emailed
across oceans, projected onto walls, printed in innumerable
different styles and formats, and play major roles in news
reporting, healthcare, and advertising, to name just a few
examples.

The explosive growth of imaging, the surge of new business
because of that growth, and the new exhibitors and demand for
increased display space by photokina regulars, were among the
topics at a recent press conference in New York City to discuss the
upcoming "World's Fair of Imaging."

This year, photokina will be held September 28th through October
3rd. The Koelnmesse center in Cologne is gearing up for some
160,000 visitors from 140 countries around the globe who travel to
Germany to attend the bi-annual photokina trade fair. Attendees
will bear witness to the beginning of imaging trends, view new
products and services, and make global contacts in the expanding
imaging industry.

According to Oliver Kuhrt, executive vice president of
Koelnmesse GmbH, the organizers of photokina, the main growth at
this year's show will be in the area of image communication. The
"Mobile Imaging World" will house exhibits by a range of companies
new to photokina such as Nokia and T-Mobile. The IT and
telecommunications sectors, digital imaging, home printing, digital
publishing and home cinema segments are growing in their
participation at photokina as well, according to Kuhrt.

For the past 50 years, photokina has been the bi-annual event
for the photography and imaging industry. In 2002, organizers began
dividing the vast array of product segments and putting them into
themed centers. Although the approach will continue in 2004, Kuhrt
noted how difficult it is becoming to make hard and fast
distinctions.

"An increasing number of global players will be presenting their
entire product ranges for consumers and professionals at a
single—in many cases larger—stand," he said. Add to
this the many technologies that are constantly converging and it
all starts to get confusing.

In an effort to simplify things, photokina 2004 will consist of
two main halls—Consumer Imaging (Halls 1—8 and 11) and
Professional Imaging (Halls 10 and 14). There had been three main
halls for photokina 2002.

Some other changes to note include:

•AV Communication companies will occupy Hall 10.2 and Hall
10.1 will become the "Software Hall." And Microsoft—for the
first time ever—will be on hand, displaying their new
products for digital image processing and image communication.

• In addition to the U.S.A Pavilion that will be found in
Hall 14.1, another U.S.A. Pavilion will be in Hall 10.1, the
Software Hall.

The contingent of companies from the United States registered so
far is about 140. This number includes only companies who have
registered from U.S. based offices, not American companies who have
registered to exhibit through their European subsidiaries. The
American contingent is the largest of any foreign country. Overall,
photokina organizers expect 1,600 exhibitors from 50 countries.

Kuhrt noted that the number of exhibitors this year is likely to
increase in spite of growing market consolidation. Many longtime
exhibitors are expanding their exhibit space as well. Together 2.15
million square feet of exhibit space will house the "World of
Imaging."

Over 160,000 visitors are expected to descend on the Koelnmesse
in Germany this September for photokina 2004.

The Global State of the Industry

Peter Sibbe, president of the Photographic Industry Association,
(Photoindustrie-Verband e.V) Frankfurt, Germany, was on hand at the
press conference to address the global state of the photographic
industry.